Page 77 of Dangerous Love

“Really? You gonna play that card? Or have you boys learned to share?” Hal smirked as he pointed at me. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’re two of them. No need to fight.”

Nic shuffled closer to me. I wrapped my arm around her. “You’re okay. Hang in there.”

“Who are these people?” she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

I turned my head so they couldn’t hear me, rage fuelling every word as I gave her the short version. “The drug lord behind the desk is Hal Cooper. He’s a waste of oxygen. He recruited me as a drug mule when I was a kid.”

“Hal Cooper?” she cried. “Oh god.”

“Alexandro, you’ve already met. He’s one of Hal’s favourite enforcers.”

She thrusted her chin to Riley and Trey, her body shaking against mine. “What about those two? They seemed to care. Maybe they’ll help?”

My heart throbbed as my eyes landed on Riley, now pale as a ghost, his legs ready to pounce. Every muscle in him rippled, like he’d bench-pressed the weight of this place. He glared at Trey as if expecting some kind of sign.

“That one is Trey. Cooper’s oldest. He had this thing for me when I was around and put me under his protection, but that was years ago.” My pulse quickened when I pointed towards Riley. “That’s Riley, Cooper’s youngest.”

She wiped her face quickly before murmuring in my ear. “Why does he care about you?”

My voice thinned. “He’s the love of my life,” I cried, my resolve breaking as my body craved his arms around me.

Nic leaned back, her eyes asking the impossible question. “How can you be with any of them?” She shook her head. “They’re monsters.”

My mind wanted to scream that Riley was nothing like the others. He was kind. Caring. He would die trying to protect me, and yet, now wasn’t the time. Based on the glances shared between the two brothers, even they weren’t confident of the plan.

“All right, Hal. You’ve got my attention. What do you want?” Riley spat.

Cooper chuckled. “Well, now we’re talking. Much better, isn't it?”

“Whatever,” he hissed. “What. Do. You. Want?” Each syllable came out sharper than the last.

“To have my sons by my side as I grow our family’s empire.” He turned towards Trey. “Tell your brother it’s not that bad on this side of town.”

“Pops, I hate to break it to ya, but some people don’t react too well to being forced. Just saying.”

Hal leaned down and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from under his desk. Then he pulled out a couple of shot glasses and lined them up in front of him. “You’re right. We all know how that panned out for Seth.”

At the mention of his brother’s name, Trey straightened, his hand brushing the back of his waist. He clenched his jaw, his eyes bloodshot, as he slowly lifted his gaze towards Cooper. Riley cleared his throat, as if offering a reminder, and Trey settled against the back of his seat.

Tension thickened the air as Hal poured whiskey into the small glasses like they celebrated some screwed-up achievement. “What do I want, Riley?” He handed a shot to his offspring. “I want loyalty. I’ve had enough of watching my bloodline play pretty boy in the rich doctor’s backyard. It’s time to show me you’re my son after all.”

Riley grabbed the glass, and he and Trey downed them together. “I came here in good faith, Hal. To give you my word I’d never get in your way. That’s as far as I’ll go. If you think I’m ruining people’s lives with you, we’re on the wrong page.”

“Really?” Hal smirked. He raised a finger in the air, a sign clear enough for Alexandro to step towards me.

The enforcer grabbed my wrist and yanked me up. “Let me go, you fuckwit,” I growled as I pulled away from him.

Riley’s face blanched, but this time, he kept his cool. “You as much as leave a hair out of place on her head, and I’ll make my father proud and end you. Trust me, it’ll take weeks to put all your parts back together.”

Cooper gave Riley a sick smile. “Now that your little girlfriend has you listening, you’re going to pledge back to me. Are we clear?”

“Fuck off,” Riley spat. “What I’m gonna do is get out of your life and pretend I know nothing of your drug dealings, your human trafficking, and your money laundering. And we’ll call it a day. You should thank me as it is.”

This was a side of Riley I’d never seen. There was so much hatred and anger, but still, there was something more. Like Cooper had finally opened Pandora’s box in the depths of Riley’s psyche, and there was no stopping it. Based on the way he glared at his father, Riley wanted blood.

When Cooper’s mouth opened, Riley marched towards me, his eyes locked on mine. He gave me a tender smile before he turned to Alexandro and hissed, “Let her go. Now.”

As soon as my arm was free, Riley pulled me into his chest, his lips pressed against my forehead. “Are you okay?”

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